WEST COVINA – The City Council says its decision to put the city’s graffiti cleanup contract out to bid is all about getting the best deal at the best price for West Covina residents.

But for the city’s current contractor, the council’s decision is all about politics.

Juan Reinoso, president of Urban Graffiti Enterprise, says a burgeoning workload has forced him to increase his monthly rate, giving the council an excuse to search for other, cheaper contractors.

“When the city decides to bombard the contractor with work that is inside private property, like an apartment complex or inside the mall, that is ridiculous,” said Reinoso.

Despite Urban Graffiti’s track record and praise from city residents and council members, the council voted 3-1 last Tuesday to put the contract out to bid. The current contract expires on Oct. 20.

Reinoso suggested that council members from other cities who are on the board of directors of the East San Gabriel Boys & Girls Club – the organization that had the graffiti contract before Reinoso took over – influenced Councilman Mike Touhey and his colleagues in their decision to reissue the contract.

But Touhey dismissed Reinoso’s claim as nonsense.

“It is highly insulting for us to put something out to bid and to say that you already know who we are going to pick,” Touhey said. ” has done a good job, but for him to come out and make these accusations does not say much for him.”

Touhey said that the council would base its decision on which bidder offers the best price and service.

Urban Graffiti has provided graffiti cleanup services to West Covina since 2005, covering more than 13,000 taggings and responding to 99 percent of service calls within 48 hours, Reinoso said.

While he acknowledged that Reinoso’s company has done a great job, Touhey complained that Urban Graffiti’s proposed 25 percent monthly rate hike – from $8,000 to $10,000 – forced the council’s hand.

But Reinoso countered that graffiti calls have exploded and that the city has not provided him with cleanup materials, as he claims was done for the Boys & Girls Club.

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